Mark Torpey is the sports editor of The Enterprise and The Patriot Ledger, and this is our all-sports blog. Use it as a jumping off point for our sport-specific blogs on Boston pro teams, or stay right here and talk about high school and college
...

Mark Torpey is the sports editor of The Enterprise and The Patriot Ledger, and this is our all-sports blog. Use it as a jumping off point for our sport-specific blogs on Boston pro teams, or stay right here and talk about high school and college sports and other topics.

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Dec. 12, 2013
12:01 a.m.

“Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” Douglas MacArthur
Army vs. Navy – Philadelphia (Ch. 4, 3:30 p.m.) We begin this week with a father, son, and in the spirit of the season, “It’s a Wonderful Life” type of day.
This is my annual piece about taking my “old man” to the last pure amateur sporting event left in America; the Army/Navy Football Game.
On December 7, 1963, at the age of 11, some two weeks after the assassination of President Kennedy, I watched my first college football game.
It was the Army versus Navy and featured the Middies Heisman Trophy winner; Roger Staubach.
I watched with my dad, in the living room on the top floor of our Dorchester three-decker.
We watched on a black and white Philco television, with the mandatory rabbit ears, and even though the “old man” was WW II Army, I was rooting for Navy.
The game ended on controversial call, as the Midshipmen hung onto 21-15 victory, as time expired, with the Cadets perched on the one yard line of Navy.
It began a lifelong love affair with the game of college football, one in which I remain intimately involved, by writing a seasonal on-line newspaper column, and participating as a Heisman Trophy voter.
But now a half-century later, the game’s significance, has for me, much deeper roots.
My dad passed a dozen years ago, and four years before his demise, in the spring of 1998 he experienced a “mini” stroke.
That episode made me realize, that this 75-year-old veteran wouldn’t be around forever, and ultimately was the inspiration to put my plan into action.
I would surprise my dad by taking him to witness the classic first hand, a sort of “full-circle” father-son -football life journey.
It was to be a one day whirlwind excursion.
I made the airline reservations, but now I needed some tickets.
And not just any seats, but something decent, especially for a guy in his mid-seventies.
I called my pal Bill Brett, the former great photographer of the Boston Globe.
I asked Billy if he would ask the late columnist Will McDonough to ask his son Sean, who at the time was working at CBS Sports and calling the game, for assistance in securing tickets.
They all came through, and I picked up the tickets at the will-call window in an envelope marked; CBS Sports.
The kid at the window looking at the envelope proclaimed, “You must be important!”

Little did he know!!
We ventured to our seats, lower level at the old Vet Stadium in Philadelphia, 8 rows up from the rail on the 45 yard line; Perfect!
Here we are, sitting around various Naval brass, when after a few minutes, my dad, a former Army corporal looks at me and asks, “Are you sure we are in the right seats?”
Translation: How could a nitwit like you, pull off seats like these.
Even though it was the 5th of December, the weather was balmy, and we had a great day watching, what was at the time (since surpassed), the highest scoring game in the rivalry; a 34-30 Army victory.
Sitting in the plane, just as we were about to take off, the “old man” leaned in and said, “In case I forget, I want to thank you.”
For a WW II father, that simple statement is like “War and Peace.” He died three years later. That is why the game is my version of; “It’s a Wonderful Life.” And why it carries a special meaning.
Now to the game:
This is the 114th get-together, and the Sons of Jimmy Carter have sailed away with 11-consecutive victories.
And during the course of that streak, Navy has outscored a rudderless Army squad by the eye-popping aggregate total: 366-125.
The Black Knights of the Hudson, owners of the nation’s second best rushing attack (323), are commanded by a pair of QB’s; A.J. Schorr, and Angel Santiago.
But the Cadets true offensive general, is its dynamic tailback Terry Baggett (over 1100 yds. - 8.2 a carry), with an assist from his backfield mate Larry Dixon.
When the Cadets slip in an occasional pass, Xavier Moss (30 receptions) is the primary target.
But as the Corps faithful are well aware, the D, anchored by corner Shaquill Tolbert, end Jarrett Mackey, and tackle Mike Ugenyi, is softer (99th defending the rush, 31 pts.) than a Rip Sewell Eephus pitch.
The Middies are going bowling for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons.
The maestro conducting the nation’s third best ground assault, is QB Keenan Reynolds (over 1100 yards – 26 TDs), the latest Houdini protégé to take up residence in Annapolis.
And when Navy feels compelled to sneak in a pass, which is about as often as Congress passes a gun law, Casey Bolena, and DeBrandon Sanders, have combined for microscopic total of; 24 receptions.
Navy’s colander D, anchored by its backer threesome: D.J. Sargenti, Cody Peterson, and Chris Johnson, has the ability to sink a Midshipmen lead faster than a US Frigate firing on a boatload of Somali pirates.
Regardless of records, this is always a very physical game, and sometime soon, simply by the law of averages, Army is going to end its drought.
But it won’t be on the 50th anniversary of my first game, as Navy sails home to the echoes of; “Anchors Aweigh…”
[Note the coin to be used by the referee before this game, is the same silver dollar that JFK was scheduled to flip in 1963. Amazing!!]
This is the last analysis of the season. Thanks to all for reading, or at least glancing. It’s been a blast.
Special thanks to my man; Editor Ken Johnson for all his assistance.
Stay well in the New Year, and as always; Peace, and listen to the music. PK